(Story courtesy of McMurry University Athletics Communications)
LA VERNE, Calif. — The McMurry War Hawks made program history by defeating the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens by a score of 12-3 to win the La Verne Regional at Ben Hines Field without taking a single loss in the double-elimination tournament.
McMurry scored two runs in the top of the 1st inning. Following Ty Nelson's walk and Riley Hood's single, Collin Bruning doubled to score Nelson. Casey Turner would hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Hood.
In the bottom of the third, McMurry's offense erupted and scored seven runs to build a 9-0 lead. Ty Nelson and Riley Hood started the inning with singles. Collin Bruning singled to score Nelson. Michael Smosna followed with a double to left field to bring in Hood, and Beckham Paul singled to score Smosna and Bruning. Paul would advance to second on the attempt to get Smosna at the plate. Xavier Escobar reached on an error to score Paul. Koy Carpenter would continue the inning, getting on with a single and moving Escobar to third. Carpenter would steal second to move into scoring position. Ty Nelson brought Escobar and Carpenter home on a single to right field.
Pomona-Pitzer responded with three runs in the bottom of the 4th inning to cut into McMurry's lead 9-3.
McMurry wasn't done scoring and added another three more runs in the bottom of the 5th inning. Beckham Paul reached on a hit-by-pitch and moved up to second on a bunt single by Blake Beach. Both runners would move up a bag on a wild pitch before Ty Nelson would walk to load the bases. On subsequent wild pitches, the War Hawks would get two runs as both Paul and Beach crossed the plate. Riley Hood would cap off the scoring with a single to left center to bring home Nelson, making the score 12-3.
David Perez earned the win for McMurry, pitching 5.2 innings in relief of starter Braydon Durst.
After winning their regional, McMurry advances to its first-ever Super Regional in program history, where it will face the East Texas Baptist Regional winner between ETBU and Trinity. The Super Regional will be a best-of-three series and take place May 23-24, with the location to be determined.
